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27 Oct 2006
Arrived around 3:30pm greeted by a hot and humid blast - from the sky it looked
like Bangladesh, with wide winding rivers and paddy fields, even
the city looked like Dhaka - and the hot humid blast certainly felt like
Dhaka.
I
had a telephone booking with a modest mini hotel called "AN AN Hotel" - they
promised me that they will pick me up at HCMC airport - nobody was
there to pick me up - as I was having a smoke and looking for any sign of
the promised Hotel pick-up, few taxi drivers approached me - I knew from the
lonely planet guide that they try to take passengers to hotels of their own choice
where they can earn a few extra Dongs (Vietnamese currency) as commission -
so I fended them off, all were very gentle and did not persist - except one
character, he was very nice mannered too, but a smooth operator - soon
he made me give up on hotel
pick up and I took a ride to the hotel in his taxi - on the way he gave me a city map as a gift and then tried to convince me to go to
some other hotel he was recommending - when he realised I won't budge, he quietly took
back the map
(the gift) without batting an eye lid and dropped me at " An An Hotel"
On the trip to the hotel I was struck by the madness of the traffic -they come from every direction, irrespective of
the traffic lights - but there are no
traffic jams, though traffic speed is quite low -driving at
30-40 km.
I
tried to show my annoyance at the hotel reception for not being picked up
at the airport - but, the hotel staff were so nice and sweet that I actually felt guilty for raising the issue - I got a very well maintained
air conditioned room at the 7th floor for US$25/day with all
amenities including a mini bar.
It was drizzling slightly, I took a stroll around the Pham Ngu La area,
where I was staying - the area is full of
backpackers, mini hotels and numerous restaurants - I had fried Mud Fish and rice
for dinner in one of the tourist type restaurants - it cost me about US$3. Not
a bad first day - 28th October 2006
I
started quite early today, around 6:30 am - when traffic is not so heavy -
My biggest challenge today was to learn how to cross roads in HCMC - among
its 4 million motorbikes that come from every direction, irrespective of
traffic lights and traffic lanes.
It took me around 10 minutes to watch and figure out the traffic
characteristics - its simple, within the apparent chaos, Vietnamese drivers
are quite conscious and alert about their's and other's safety. At a
crossing just wait for the first rush of the turning traffic and start
crossing - most bikers will look after you - one just need to keep a lookout
for an odd errant biker - bigger vehicles look after everybody else - once
you get the knack its easy.
Motorbike rides are very cheap
in HCMC around US$1/hr, and no
vehicles in HCMC drive faster than 30-35 km/hour so not really that
dangerous - but one get to breathe only poisonous fumes from 1000s of them
driving ahead
- people literally drive into a rushing cloud of fume.
So walking or air conditioned taxis are much better options. While
travelling I prefer to walk around the cities as much as possible.
Bin tanh market - the famous Hawker market of HCMC just a short walking
distance away from my hotel was already open for business - I bought
a pair of sandals and an extra pair of shorts - it was already heating-up - in
hot-humid HCMC everything else is useless.
Took a long walk around central HCMC - visited the former South Vietnam's
Presidential palace - now called the Reunification Palace - though not much of a
palace, it was originally built for the French colonial Governor and used to
be called "Norodom Palace". it became famous on 30th April 1975 - when the North Vietnamese
lead tanks smashed through one of its gates and ended the Vietnam war. Those
first two tanks are on display in front of the palace and now every part of
the palace is open to public as a museum.
Nearby War Remnant Museum is small but leaves a very strong impression on
any body - this museum used to be called "War Crime Museum" - the name was
changed probably as part of the condition for lifting US embargo/sanctions on Vietnam.
That was the correct name - the photographs of the atrocities displayed
there are not for faint hearted - particularly the ones on children.
I
had to return to my hotel by mid day - I had a lunch invitation at a
Bangladeshi friend's place - he is an old Bangladeshi friend mow working in
Vietnam as Marine surveyor. I got in touch with him before arriving
here - I spent few hours with them - they live a bit far from center
in an exclusive complex for expatriates. They are generally happy - as happy one
can be away from familiar surroundings of Bangladesh - Bangladeshi satellite TV channels,
a few Bangladeshi families and friendly Vietnamese environment help.
I spent the evening around the fashionable Dong Koi shopping area in the central
Saigon.
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